Butterflies or Beetles
by TrippleThreatTrio
Summary: Arranged marriages are never easy, especially when two hearts are on the line. Will she choose her childhood friend, Shino, and become an Aburame? Or, will she choose Choji, and learn to love the gentlest young man the village has to offer? Neither one is the man of her dreams, but, one of them will become the man of her reality. Hinata/Choji, Hinata/Shino, Shino/Sakura
1. Chapter 1

(Erm, just playing around with an idea here, but hope you like it. Let us know what you think. – Jake & Corbin, from the TTT.)

 **Butterflies or Beetles: Chapter 1**

Water glowed when moonlight hit the algae just right. It was the perfect distraction, they both needed it. Hinata had long since known about the glowing pools, but, it seemed even more beautiful now. She wanted to say something, but what? It wasn't easy for the young man next to her. All evening he fumbled with his words, catching them before they could even greet the air.

Timidly, he avoided the real topic that bothered both of them, and Hinata had been thankful for that. They couldn't procrastinate forever, and someone had to break this awful tension. Some part of Hinata had long discovered that it wouldn't be Choji. He wasn't very good with girls, or at least that's what he thought.

Ino told her that, and Hinata had laughed nervously about it earlier, brushing Ino off. Now that Hinata knew the truth, she felt bad for him. "Choji…" She watched him jump as she spoke his name. She could see it so clearly now, he really didn't believe in himself. He didn't think he mattered, and knowing that hurt more than Hinata could express.

"What it is?" He asked, his words were only a little rushed.

"Choji, about my father..." She forced a smile. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry about mine too." He ran a hand through his messy head of hair. It was always so hard to keep tidy, even though he tried. "You're beautiful Hinata, too pretty for a guy like me."

"Please don't say that." Dipping her fingertips into the glowing water, she wished she could take away all of his worries, and hers too. "I don't want to hear you putting yourself down." She couldn't blame him though. "Everyone doubts themselves a little, right? It doesn't mean those doubts are true."

"I'm only saying what's true. Many clans are vying for you." Choji swallowed hard, he knew he didn't stand a chance. "It's no wonder why, either." He was almost thankful for that, only because he didn't want to get his heart broken. "How do you feel about that?"

Hinata laughed a little. "You know, you're the first one to ask me." The water was cool to the touch and she stripped off her sandals, walking out into the calm pond. "I don't know how I feel about it honestly."

"What about Shino, or Kiba?" Choji wondered aloud, scratching the side of his cheek. "Aren't they worried about you? Haven't they asked?"

"Oh them?" Hinata made a soft, noncommittal noise. "Shino knows he has to get married somehow, so he's pretty indifferent about the whole thing. As for Kiba, well…" Trailing off, she glanced over to Choji. "My father won't give him the time of day."

"It sounds like your father already knows what kind of family he wants you to join." Choji wondered where the Akimichi clan fell in that list, if maybe he was a higher prospect than he first thought. It made him swallow hard, and he realized his palms had grown sweaty. "Hinata, be honest with me, please. What chance do I really have in all of this?"

"That's why I called you out here." Hinata looked up to the dark sky, the stars twinkling along the black expanse. "The only reason my father is even thinking of giving me away is because I'm not going to be leading the Hyuga clan."

"Yeah, but so many families want you to join them." Choji said sadly. The Akimichi weren't the only ones.

Hinata toed the water she was standing on top of. "He says he'll let me decide between you and Shino. You two are my only choices, if I don't decide by my twenty-first birthday, he's going to choose for me."

"You're going to choose Shino, aren't you?" That was the easy choice to make, and Choji was sure she would. He didn't understand why she was so hesitant to say it, she watched the sky quietly, as if she was still unsure. "I mean, he was your teammate, and you are close to him."

"I could probably marry Shino, we could get along without too many disputes." Hinata explained slowly, as she lifted her fingers to twirl in her long dark tresses. "You're right, he's the obvious choice, but, I don't want to just put everything off because of that." More than anything, she didn't want to put all of the burden on Shino, either. "All three of us are going to find spouses eventually. You and Shino both have clans to lead, and I don't want to string anyone along. So what if Shino is the easy choice? I don't love him, and he doesn't love me."

"You…" Choji found his thoughts painfully. "You don't love me either. I don't think any woman really can. I'm not like the other guys."

"I don't know if I can." Hinata wanted to cry. "I don't know if I can fall in love with either one of you. I know Shino though, he'll go along with what's best for his clan. I know his dad has Sakura lined up if I don't work out." It was time to stop beating around the bush. "What about you Choji?"

"There is no one else." Choji hadn't even tried dating before, and his father had reached out to the Hyuga clan because he thought Hinata would be a good match. "I don't want to force you into agreeing to the proposal. It would be wrong of me to do that. As far as I know, my father hasn't found anyone else he finds suitable."

"Shino and I talked about this last month, when we started casually dating." She flicked her eyes over to Choji. "It's nothing serious…just…just trying to figure ourselves out. He's casually dating Sakura as well. So, since he's giving Sakura a chance, I thought…" She closed her eyes. What _did_ she think she was doing? "Like I said I don't want to lead you on, but, if you want to try dating me...see if we can even get along…like that...I wouldn't say no."

Choji sighed, this was what clans did right? People their age, they started looking at their future in a deeper way. They started searching for the right person to spend that future with. It only made sense that they broadened their horizons. "Do you really want to give a guy like me the time of day? I don't have any confidence."

"Me either. I wish I did, but I don't." Hinata murmured as she stepped out of the water and sat beside him on the log. "I'm scared." Her toes gripped the grass, playing with the soft green blades. "My future has never been so uncertain before. I'm fortunate that Shino and I can think of each other as the fall back plan, but, that's not fair to him."

Choji didn't know what to say to her.

"What if he turns out to really like Sakura? What if she turns out better for him than I could ever be?" She tried to keep the emotion out of her voice. She had even put up a good fight, but it had begun to crack. "I would never take away his happiness, but that would only leave you. I'd never want to force you into something like that." She tried rubbing her eyes, but they still stung. "That's not fair to you, Choji. That's not the kind of person I am."

Sometimes, Choji really hated being the sixteenth head of the Akimichi clan. "It's not your fault." He said as he took one of Hinata's hands into his own. "Please don't cry." Her cheeks were stained pink, and while that was normally cute, it wasn't this time. That color was one of shame, anger, and a feeling of powerlessness that he fully understood. "We're both in this together, and by the sounds of it, so is Shino. That's just how these clan things go, I know that."

Her fingers were so cold, she felt like ice. He wanted to keep her warm, to protect her, because that's what friends did. He'd always thought that she was gorgeous, but he'd never had the confidence to ask her on a date. He thought he didn't stand a chance in hell, but if Hinata was willing to give him one… "I want to try dating you, if you'll let me."


	2. Chapter 2

**Butterflies or Beetles: Chapter 2**

Hinata found herself sitting in front of three black folders, and inside each of them were a possible marriage proposal. She had received many more, but her father had cast them aside. She looked at all three of them again. She's lost count over how many times she had done that, but this time, she wasn't alone. Sakura and Ino were there too, mostly for emotional support.

One file belonged to Shino Aburame. Future leader to the Aburame clan, he was a bug user that Hinata knew very well. She had fought alongside of him during missions, slept under trees by his side, and even knew what lay beneath the baggy coat he always had on. She had long before mapped out the pinhole scars on his body with her fingertips. Shino was probably the easiest choice, and his Kikaichu were fond of Hinata.

She was sure that if she picked Shino, her Byakugan would be a strong addition to his bloodline and their sensory training.

"He didn't write a very long letter, did he?" Ino laughed a little, seeing the single sentence that had been penned across Shino's proposal letter.

"Hey, let me see." Sakura leaned over, reading it aloud. "Marry me if you want too, signed Shino. Wow, talk about simple."

"He was more talkative about it in person." Hinata said quietly as she carefully folded the letter back up.

"He isn't exactly a poet, is he?" Sakura said sympathetically. "It's strange, because he's a total stiff when we go out. Although, that's kind of cute too."

"How many dates have you two gone on, Sakura?" Ino asked, the gossip freely flowing, and she was in her element.

"Our third one was yesterday."

"And?"

"He's alright I guess, he's just high strung."

"Ino, stop fishing. I know for a fact that they haven't kissed yet." When her friends gave her a searching look, Hinata did her best to avoid the attention. "Shino….moves slow."

With an upraised eyebrow, Sakura leaned forward, mirth twinkling in her green eyes. "Have _you_ kissed him, Hinata?"

The Hyuga rolled her eyes, but it didn't keep her from feeling just a little flustered. She weighed her options before deciding on honesty, for Sakura's sake. "Only because you're starting to date him too, I'll tell you that I've done a little more than kiss him."

"How much more?" It wasn't jealousy that fuel the question, but genuine interest.

"Not much more, but…" She wasn't exactly as innocent as she used to be either. "Ino, what I'm about to say doesn't leave this room."

"Don't trust me, do you? Well, you don't have to worry, my lips are sealed." Ino assured.

"It's personal, and I don't normally talk about it, but…" Hinata coughed, as she grabbed at her tea. Taking a slow sip, she hid her expression. "Shino and I were arranged ever since my sixteenth birthday. We were against it back then, though. Our father's wanted us to try and get along, so we agreed. There was one date night that I went home with Shino, and things got a little heated. We were going through the motions, but it just didn't feel right. It was right about the time that my back hit Shino's mattress that we both realized our hearts just weren't in it."

"We both decided that it just wasn't the right time, and left it at that." Hinata tapped her fingers in the table, following the rings in the wood. "Neji, bless his heart helped to make such a big sink about the whole arranged marriage. The entire Hyuga clan heard his outrage. My father agreed not to push the marriage so hard, and Shino's dad backed off a bit too." Hinata gave Sakura a pleading look. "Shino doesn't have the luxury to wait around anymore, and neither do a lot of other young leaders."

"I'm sorry Hinata, I didn't realize."

"It's not your fault, Sakura. Just give Shino a little bit of time. He's just being cautious."

Ino tentatively reached forward, looking at another black folder, the middle one. "Who does this one belong to?"

"The Sarutobi clan." Hinata said as she reached back for it. "I'm not even considering that one, so I'd rather that you don't go looking into it."

The file belonged to the distinguished Konohamaru Sarutobi. Hinata had thought this particular proposal to be a bit of a wildcard. His clan was trying to secure a powerful wife for his future. The Sarutobi clan was one of the oldest in Konoha. Highly respectable, and in some ways prestigious. Even though Konohamaru was younger than her, four years younger to be exact, her father hadn't turned him away. Eventually the age difference would be minuscule, and he would grow into his duties as time went on.

Hinata ultimately decided against a husband that still had so much to do in his life. He was just too young, and too wild.

"Here." She said, sliding Choji's folder forward towards Ino. "This is one that the Akimichi clan sent."

"Oh, I know what's in that one." Ino accepted it anyway, opening it and going over the contents inside. "I help Choji put it together. He was so nervous, you should have seen him. He agonized over every little thing."

Frankly the most surprising proposal had come from the Akimichi clan. In that file Choji's name, photo, and a proposal letter had made Hinata take pause. Of all of the clans to want her attention, she had never suspected that Choji's would want her. The Akimichi were already allied deeply with both the Nara and Yamanaka clans. As such, Hinata had always assumed that they kept marriages amongst themselves. Choji's letter was heartbreaking. He poured his soul out on his sleeve, telling her all of the reasons that she shouldn't marry him.

After talking with him at the lake, Hinata realized that every time he put himself down, he honestly thought it was true.

"That's what I'm worried about, Ino."

Sakura leaned back on her hands. "Wait, why are you worried? Choji's a nice guy, isn't he?"

"He is, and that's what scares me." Hinata told Sakura honestly. "He has the most to lose. I don't want to hurt him in all of this."

"Choji's a fragile guy, but if you're gentle with him, Hinata, he'll be fine." Truth be told, Ino was the one who helped push him into it. "If anything, this will be a good experience, and he needs that." The guy was just too shy to make a move on anyone, and he needed to start thinking about his future. "Actually, I'm starting to think it'll be good for you too, Hinata. You two could learn a lot from each other."

"Speaking of that, I need a little bit of help." This was why she called her friends over after all. "Choji and I have our first date tonight, and I've only had dates with Shino. I'm not sure what I should expect...it's...it's a dinner date."

When Ino and Sakura shared a knowing grin, Hinata blushed deeply as she refilled their cups of tea. Somehow she just knew that she was going to be in for a long afternoon.

"So, he's taking you to dinner tonight…" Ino knew there was only a handful of places Choji would even think to go. "Do you know where he's taking you?"

"Someplace simple, I hope." Hinata said as she showed Ino the kimono that she'd picked. "He's so worried about making a good impression. It's sweet, but, I am starting to worry."

Sakura and Ino gave each other knowing glances, but it was Sakura who spoke. "If you ask me, you and Choji are thinking way too hard about this, Hinata. I try not to think about my dates with Shino. I just take them as they come. Maybe you should do the same with Choji."

"You're not thinking about the future?" Hinata asked as her cheeks tinged pink. "But I thought that you didn't mind being with him."

"I don't." Sakura smiled a bit wistfully, as she rested her chin in her palm. "Hinata, tell me something. Have you ever seen Shino without his glasses?"

Hinata blushed even more deeply than before. "Haven't you?"

"No…not yet." Sakura sighed as she thought about it. "I feel like he's afraid to show me what's hiding under there."

Hinata knew, but she wasn't sure that Shino wanted her blabbing his personal matters. She kept the matter vague. "Shino's body is riddled with pinhole scars because of the hive inside of his body. It doesn't exactly bother me, but it can be really weird to see the Kikaichu skitter out from the holes if you aren't used to it. They're sensitive to chakra, so if you give them some, they might start behaving."

Ino shivered as a rather worrying thought hit her. "They don't uh, crawl out of his eyes or anything, do they?"

Hinata made a soft noise, indicating that no, they didn't. "Since the Kikaichu live inside of his body, they roam around in there. Sometimes you can see the shadows of them running around if you look at his eyes in the right kind of light. That makes Shino nervous, so he wears sunglasses. His eyes are also sensitive to sunlight."

Sakura, now honestly curious, asked a question of her own. "That doesn't freak you out? Shino never lets me see them, he always acts like I'll be mortified or something. I was starting to think he really did have something to hide."

"They eat chakra, so I see them all the time. Thanks to my Byakugan, it's pretty much unavoidable." Hinata smiled softly then. "If you're curious about them, look inside of his ears, or one of their burrowing points. They'll come out if you invite them to. I always put some healing chakra on the tip of my finger and run it along his arm. The Kikaichu love that. It calms them down, which in turn calms Shino down."

"Dating tips from the wallflower." Ino laughed in earnest. "Who would have thought?"

"It's not like that." Hinata refuted, her blush coming back full force. "Even as friends we...I mean...it's just that to me, his bugs are no different than Akamaru. They're just part of the team."


	3. Chapter 3

**Butterflies or beetles: Chapter 3**

Choji knew there was only one place he could bring Hinata.

He took her to get the finest barbecue Konoha had to offer. It was a common place that as a group they'd gathered around many times. The predictability was nice, and so was the setting. Hinata knew several of the waitresses, and the owner was a woman who had married into the Akimichi clan, which made her a distant relative.

It was foolish really, how the context of a dinner made it extremely hard to share words. Hinata had gone out to eat with her friends on several occasions, and it wasn't as if Choji was some stranger. He was equally part of the rookie nine, and she had sparred against him in class, and fought alongside him in battle. He wasn't as charismatic as Kiba, and she couldn't read into him like she could with Shino.

The way he fumbled around with his words, made her realize he was trying to give his best effort.

Unfortunately, that just so happened to include his timid tendencies. He became quiet the moment he thought he might have offended her. His fidgeting wasn't normal for him, not amongst his friends anyway. Hinata was sure that if this had been just another late night out, he'd be ordering twice as much food.

"Choji," Hinata began wearily, "Are you so nervous because this is a date, or because I'm a Hyuga?"

"Both…maybe…" He looked down at the hot grill.

She smiled softly at that. "I can't be that intimidating."

"To me, you are." At least he was being honest. "I keep thinking that it can't be real."

"It's real." Hinata found that her voice lingered on those soft, quiet tones. She wanted to soothe him, but had no idea how. "Even without the Byakugan fully activated, when a person's chakra is as out of balance as yours is, I can see it. The wisps of it drift out from the chakra points on your body. To me, right now, you have a soft glow."

He startled at his. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Hinata murmured, suddenly feeling guilty. "I was just thinking to myself, maybe that's how things should be."

"What?" Choji cracked a smile, but it wasn't exactly a happy one. "You don't have to try so hard for me."

Hinata could only feel bad that he didn't believe her. "There are no other Hyuga here, so, I'm the only one who can see it. When a person accepts a spouse, they do so knowing that the person will see things no one else can." Hinata was sure of it. She was nervous too, but Choji's worry made her calm her own. It was a strange kind of comfort all if its own. "That's what dates are for. To see what the rest of the world doesn't."

"You're too nice a girl." He knew he'd said that before, but he was so sure of it. "So nice in fact, that it makes it hard for me to know what to do." He lifted his gaze to those eyes of hers. Pupils hidden beneath that white Hyuga membrane. "The thing is, I know my father. He'll force my hand if he has too, and if you get included in that…" That was already false. Hinata was already included. This date was carrying a weight that he didn't want it to carry. "I get the feeling that you would accept me if you were forced to. If it came down to it. That makes me nervous."

Hinata squinted, her lips forming a tight line. "Choji, do you mind if I am completely, brutally honest for a moment?"

He nodded. "I kind of think I would prefer that." At least then he would be let down, and he could go about his life, or so he thought.

"As is every betrothed woman's dream, I would have liked to marry for love." She began simply. "I don't think it's any mystery who my obvious first choice would be, if I was to be given that option." From beneath the table, her fingers had crumpled the napkin in her lap. "There are dreams, and there are realities. Equal to that, there are people who can make their dreams come true."

She paused, thinking about how she could say things properly. "However, I believe you and I were never destined to be that sort of individual. That's reserved for a very small few. People who've never had the same type of gratification that we were born with." Yes, she was sure of that. Though it was hard to sometimes see the truth; that they were among Konohagakure greatness. "Hard choices have to be made, because we were fortunate enough to be born with that gratification."

"You say that as if it's a privilege." Choji wasn't sure how she could think that.

"Isn't it?" Hinata murmured.

"I don't know." He scratched the back of his head. "I mean, my clan is strong, I'm proud about that. I don't think that other people should suffer for it."

"It would become even stronger if your children had the Byakugan." Hinata said then, her words confidant, but lacking the clout known for a Hyuga.

"Hinata..."

"No, I mean, honestly..." Hinata lifted her glass of water to her lips. "Consider the possibilities."

Shyly, Choji looked away. "I don't know enough about your bloodline limit think about things like that."

"Well, perhaps not, but you do know the obvious things." Talking about fighting was comfortable. It kept her personal feelings out of everything. "As it stands, with your fighting style, you still maintain blind spots in your vision. Imagine having a much wider peripheral view. Imagine being able to see and target chakra directly."

"That would make them more powerful." Choji agreed.

"There are downsides, too. For example, any Akimichi child to carry the Byakugan wouldn't maintain the same flexibility that a Hyuga does." She saw Choji flinch under her gaze, but she didn't let her mind linger on it. "That's a natural shortcoming, and one you'd come to expect, given your clan's own fighting style."

"It sounds like you've given this quite a bit of thought." He wished he had done the same. It never occurred to him to even think about the abilities that his progeny might inherit.

"If I cannot marry for love, then I would like to have a happy marriage." Hinata told him honestly, taking his large hand in hers. She needed him to understand her position, to know that she had considered him. He had many good qualities. He didn't see them in himself. Maybe it was just that no one had shown him before.

She would have to show him. "Ideally, I'd like my husband to be capable, but also kind. I'd also like my children to be strong. I may not agree much with vanity, but I certainly demand highly of my future husband's genetics. I want the Byakugan to travel into a clan that has a use for it. I don't think that's unfair to ask for."

When she stripped her needs down to the basic requirements that she could not avoid, Choji had in many ways trumped her other suitors as the masculine ideal. His genetics were unquestionably the strong, he was of age to have children, and his personality fit her description. His clan would benefit the most from passing the Byakugan down. They were such firm allies with the Nara and Yamanaka clans that it would benefit all three.

"May I…sit closer to you?" He asked, already dreading that she might decline.

Hinata scooted around the booth since it was easier for her to maneuver, coming to sit as Choji's side, arms touching. She smiled a bit, remembering what Ino had said earlier that day. Hinata would need to be easy on him, but at least she knew that he had only the best of intentions.

She could only be brought to wonder if Shino was having the same kind of good fortune with Sakura.

* * *

Shino liked to consider himself a simple man, one that didn't need much to be happy. He hoped Sakura thought similarly. Many women had expensive tastes, and his clan was not among the extravagantly wealthy. He safely assumed he would never be able to afford the newest advancements in technology. He wouldn't be able to buy the largest diamonds or the finest silks.

For all of the luxuries his family couldn't buy, there were endless comforts that only his clan would ever enjoy.

He didn't know what she would think of his gift of honey, procured carefully from some wild bees. He had gone to great pains to get it, as honey wasn't exactly something that his buzzing brethren parted with easily. He let a soft sigh of relief ease him when she immediately decided a snack was in order.

They'd eaten in relative silence, commenting on the beautiful evening, and other odds and ends. It was only after a lull in the conversation that Sakura scooted closer. He watched in stunned silence when he saw Sakura's green chakra forming at the tip of her finger. "Don't." He said, taking her hand in his own. "You probably won't like what'll happen if you do."

Sakura frowned as she turned away. A blush of shame tinged her cheeks. "Hinata says you name them, that each one has a distinctive personality."

"You want to meet them that badly?" Shino still wasn't sure he was ready for that. "They're wild, not like a dog or cat."

"They listen to you, don't they?" Sakura asked.

"I'm the way they get their food." Shino explained, feeling the little bugs frantically running around. They'd sensed chakra that was new and different. They wanted to taste it all the more. "I'm their host, their home. It's a mutual respect. I don't own them, or anything like that."

"I'm not afraid of a few little bugs." Sakura said, though she realized they weren't exactly harmless.

"Before I let you, there's some things you need to know." Shino was still unsure if he liked the idea. Honestly, he didn't want Sakura coming into contact with his little friends so soon. "They're basically like any other parasite. If you give them any of your chakra, they're going to nip at it. They're flesh burrowers, and if you prove to be a suitable host, they will try to burrow into you." He pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. "It doesn't hurt, their saliva has a numbing property. Still, it is unnerving to most people."

"Hinata never said anything like that." Sakura said, now started to get just a little worried. "About them wanting to burrow into me…"

"Hinata also doesn't mind when they crawl all over her. She's grown up around my hive. That does tend to make a difference." Shino's left hand withdrew into his coat sleeve, and when it emerged, there was a tiny female Kikaichu perched on the tip of his pointer finger. "This is Anita, a three week old, fully grown female from the hive. She's a worker Kikaichu. I'll let you hold her, if you want, but just know that if you feed her any chakra she's going to start thinking of you as a surrogate hive."

Sakura hesitated, her thumb running over her fingertips as she slowly reached out her hand.


	4. Chapter 4

(An interesting point was brought up. We based Hinata's personality more like Naruto The Last Movie. At 20ish she would be more dominant, in a quiet way. She knows what she wants, and she's also a firm realist. Hinata in that movie best expresses what she would be in her adult life. The Boruto Movie, that's even more true. So that's why you don't see the stuttering, blushing, entire mess that Hinata was in her younger years portrayed here.)

 **Butterflies or beetles: Chapter 4**

Shino held his breath as he witnessed Sakura holding one of his insects for the first time. He could tell she was nervous without her black gloves. She flinched a little when the small creature stepped into her palm.

He didn't want to spook Sakura too early, especially with so much riding on her enormous chakra levels. She, would prove a valuable host to a full Kikaichu hive, if only she would tolerate such a thing. Whoever he married would have to cultivate a hive of their own, becoming a host themselves. It was a simple law of his clan, but one that often left those outside of it edgy, and sometimes even disgusted. He hadn't told Sakura the truth yet, afraid that she wasn't ready to know. Honestly, he didn't know how to tell the pink haired woman either, because it wasn't common knowledge.

He couldn't find the words right then, and mentally kicked himself.

The only person outside of his clan he had ever told was Hinata, and that was out of a direct need to do so. The Hyuga was well aware what Shino's clan required, and she had known that would be expected. Ever since she was a young girl, training as a genin, she had always respected Shino's relationship with the tiny creatures.

* * *

The next day when he visited Hinata.

Hinata lay against the tree nearest her room, many of Shino's Kikaichu swarming around her arms and legs. Some of them made their way under her pant legs and into her shirt. They were looking for their too precious chakra fix. She didn't pay them any mind as she listened to Shino's story about his date. He was vague, but Hinata knew him well enough to interpret his words.

"So, after all of that, I let Anita walk onto her hand." The young man said honestly. "Was kind of hoping that Sakura would want to keep her, but after a short time, she gave Anita back."

"I'm kind of glad she did." Hinata knew that Shino liked his bugs to wander free when they could, but Sakura was still pretty new to his lifestyle. "I don't think she would take kindly to Anita wandering back and forth all the time unannounced."

"You're right." Shino admitted, but that didn't stop that tiny pang of rejection he felt. "I just thought that maybe she might like Anita."

"I think you just need to give her some time." Hinata said to him after giving it a lot of thought. "I'm pretty sure that if you show her what your body looks like, she'll be less afraid of them."

"I don't think that's a very good idea right now." His hand rested on his upper left arm. "I don't want to scare her away. I've got some new tunnels, and there's a little bit of blood."

Hinata sighed, opening her eyes, though she remained still. She tactfully avoided the fact that he was being completely silly. "Just show her, and be honest." Sakura was a kunoichi, a medical one at that. A little bit of blood wouldn't phase Sakura in the least. "At least you'll know her resolve. If she can't even bear the thought of having a hive, then you know she's unsuitable for marriage."

"I'm still coming to terms with the fact that you're okay with it." He watched his insects as they skittered around in the grass, on the tree, all over himself, and Hinata. "It's rare, I can't ask for blind acceptance. I know that, but even so."

She offered him a self-deprecating little frown. "Well, the idea of owning a hive doesn't exactly excite me." She told him honestly. "I'm just indifferent to the idea."

Shino tried to picture Sakura in the same position, and he couldn't fathom it. "I can't think of many people who would be indifferent to a bunch of bugs making a home out of their body."

"It's not painful." Hinata replied with a gentle shrug. "I don't think I've ever see them get in your way or anything." She tapped at another bug who thought to start making a nest on the back of her hand. "Even when they do manage to get under my skin, I can't say that it bothers me. I don't even feel it. I just end up seeing the bite marks later, heal them, and go on with my life."

"You can feel a whole hive." Shino said quietly. "I feel mine. They may stay out of the way when I need them to, but, I doubt that'll be enough for most women."

"My body would adapt." Hinata told him. "Sakura's would too. Your wife would get used to it." There wasn't any other choice in the matter. Hinata and Shino both knew that.

Hinata batted at her ear when one of the young males tried to crawl inside. When it tried again, she flicked a tiny spark of malicious chakra at him. He flew back to the safety of Shino immediately. He perched on Shino's nose, clearly looking for sympathy to his plight.

"You know better." Shino said plainly to the small bug, gesturing to his own ear. "In, now."

Hinata found herself perplexed at the whole display. "Are you okay? The younger ones have been getting more insistent about burrowing."

He pulled off his sunglasses, leaning over her, blocking out the sunlight that drifted through the branches. "We both know that we aren't being practical. We're still being quite unreasonable, and the bugs instinctively know that."

Hinata looked deeply into Shino's dark brown eyes. They had an undeniable history, and it served them well as Hinata lifted her fingers to run through his spiky brown hair. She had to admit, maybe they were being a little unreasonable when it came to the arrangement. She worried her bottom lip between her teeth. Although she trusted Shino, implicitly, she also wasn't a mind reader. She had no idea what he was thinking.

Honestly, her own mind was a slow crawl. "Are you saying that because you're afraid of Sakura rejecting you?" She had to know.

His mouth felt like sand paper. "She is suitable." Shino said distantly, putting his glasses back on. "So are you."

That wasn't the problem though. It was hard to say, but she knew she had to ask. "Am I suitable?"

He couldn't look at her as he squared his shoulders. "Do you doubt that?"

She gave him a slightly annoyed look. "I am a suitable host for Kikaichu hive. However, I'm starting to suspect that you don't find me suitable when it comes to other matters."

"The last time I tried…"

"We were sixteen." Hinata rebuked.

Shino nodded.

She sat up carefully, so as not to disturb the Kikaichu. "Things are difference, the circumstances are more imperative now. We aren't the same as we were then."

Again Shino nodded.

"And this is why we find ourselves being unreasonable." Hinata told him, though there wasn't an ounce of blame in her voice. It was purely fact, soft, honest. "We're better friends than lovers, and we both acknowledge that."

"But if I can't get Sakura to accept me…" He sighed, shaking his head.

"I'll talk to Sakura about the hive." Hinata said, deciding that Shino really could use the help. "I've got some tunnels on my arms that I haven't healed yet. I'll let her see some of the Kikaichu that follow me around. I don't think she'll be as nervous about it if she sees someone from outside of the clan interacting with them."

"You would do that for me?" Shino asked, hardly hoping.

Hinata nodded, as she leaned against his side, head resting on his shoulder. She cared too much about him to see him struggling on his own. "I want you to be happy. If Sakura makes you happy, then I will help her to understand."

* * *

Over at Ino's house, Choji wasn't having so easy a time.

"Barbecue, really Choji?" Ino couldn't help but lament at her friend's idea of a first date. "Please tell me that wasn't all. It was a nice night, so you should have made the most of it. Maybe took her out stargazing, or to a movie, or something."

"We took a walk…" Choji said, feeling a little upset for not thinking of something else.

"Well did you at least sweep her off her feet?" The blonde asked. "Bring her something nice when you picked her up, give her a goodbye kiss, things like that?"

Choji shook his head. "We talked about our clans."

"You talked about…your clans…" Ino couldn't believe it, and visibly deflated. Her good mood turned to exasperation. "Why?"

"Hinata brought it up, and well, it seemed like a good idea at the time." Choji wasn't sure why he felt comfortable talking about that. "I know it wasn't the best thing to talk about, but there is one good thing I learned though."

"Oh really…" Ino leaned in, giving the large man a searching look. "So, what then?"

"She doesn't hate me…"

"Why would she hate you? You're one of the nicest guys I know."

Choji ran a hand over his belly. He wasn't completely fat, he was stocky, and his muscles were huge. "You know what they say about nice guys finishing last. I don't know, I guess I thought it would hold true." He had a lot of power behind his swing. He wasn't exactly the best looking guy though, and he knew that. "I know what I'm up against. A lot of the men in our age bracket are completely ripped. I guess, I thought...I wouldn't stand a chance."

"Being skinny for you is a bad thing." Ino reminded him, not wanting to dwell too much on his near death experiences. "You know Sai isn't built like that, and I'm all over him."

"That's true but, he's skinny."

"Idiot."

"What'd I do now?"

Ino rubbed her face, a sigh falling from between her lips. "Look, do you plan to go on another date with Hinata, or not?"

He had the decency to look thoroughly admonished. "I wasn't sure if she wanted to. I didn't ask. I thought I'd give her some time to think about it first."

Ino let her head fall onto the wooden table. "You're sweet, but God you're going to be the death of me…"


	5. Chapter 5

(Short chapter today, but deep. Written while we waited for our lunch to arrive. It was a scene we were going to include with the date chapter, but thought better of it. We still wanted to include it though, so we revamped it for a little side scene.)

 **Butterflies or Beetles: Chapter 5**

Choji fidgeted in front of the esteemed Hyuga complex. He may have visited many times in the past, but that was all mission related. He had no idea what kind of reception might await him as he paced back and forth in front of the large archway.

Did the Hyuga clan even allow gentleman callers to come knocking? He wasn't sure, and he didn't want to offend anyone.

"You don't have to stand on ceremony."

The voice sent a chill up his spine before he calmed himself. "Oh, right. Sorry Hinata."

"You should come inside and sit down." Hinata told him gently, ushering the man beyond the tall archway and into the yard proper. "Tea is being served as we speak."

Choji accepted the offer, and they strolled across the courtyard. Many of the branch family members bowed deeply as they passed, causing Hinata to sigh, since she hadn't been able to break most of them of that habit. She knew it was only a sign of respect, but it still bothered her. It was also slightly embarrassing, since many of the branch family were far older than her. Those that were younger, were small children. They were just learning what it meant to be part of the strict and sprawling clan. She could hardly fault their confusion, or their young nature to rebel.

Honestly, she hoped they would. She would be leaving behind her status soon enough anyway. "I really wish they would do that in front of visitors." She said quietly so that only Choji could hear. "It's very strange to be shown such reverence all of the time."

Choji wondered about that, he really wasn't sure. "I'll bet it's difficult for you."

"Not so much difficult as off-putting." Hinata admitted as she led him into the small sitting room that was provided strictly for her to use. "I have no desire to take the clan into my hands. Strictly speaking, my status is the same as theirs. It's been that way since I was a child. My alliances fall to the village."

"I think it's because you're an easy person to follow." He felt that way. Maybe it was her soft-spoken nature, or her desire for honesty and commitment over all else. Maybe it was her loyalty. Whatever it was, Hinata had gained a large following because of it. "You always seem to step out into the limelight when it matters most, and people notice that."

Hinata smiled softly as she poured two cups of warm tea. Placing one on top of a bamboo coaster, she slid it gently across the table. "I never did that to seek attention, I merely had no other choice."

"That's the reason."

"Hm?"

"You know, I think you're very favorable. You're modest, but the truth is, you do stand out sometimes. I know it's because you have to, but, that's quality in and if itself." Choji began uneasily, his earnest expression displaying what his words couldn't. "I don't think I'd be able to put myself in the kinds of positions that you've faced." Even if he could, would he have succeeded? "I've watched all of my peers from afar, trying to see what strengths and weaknesses they have. You are one of the bravest I've seen."

"It's not bravery." Hinata laughed, finding that compliment to be too far reaching. It would never suit her. "It may be many things, but that isn't on the list. I promise you that."

"Then, do you mind if I ask…" Choji left the question lingering in the air.

"I have nothing to hide." Hinata told him honestly. "Besides, it isn't a matter of if I mind or not." No, it wasn't so black and white. In fact what drew her out of her shell was something different. Darker, more sinister. Fear. Her smile fell. "If anything drives me to those points, it's desperation. Truthfully, the thought of what might happen if I don't act, that scares me. It scares me so much that I willingly put myself in harm's way. I'd rather die than see my worst fears play out."

"I didn't know." Choji admitted then, feeling a small ball of emotion in his throat. He never assumed, but then, why would he? "Every time, you've always looked so determined. Almost like no matter what, you couldn't be beaten. I guess I always thought that Ino and Sakura might have rubbed off on you, at least a little."

"I may be at peace with the choices once I've made them, but, that's just the way it is." She sipped on her tea, eyes closed. A small twinge of relief worked its way into her mind.


	6. Chapter 6

**Butterflies or Beetles: Chapter 6**

Hinata looked at her back in the mirror, examining the tiny pinholes that the Kikaichu made. They weren't very large, and didn't hurt, but they were fairly fresh. She sighed as one of the tiny bugs skittered across the mirror in question. Fluttering little wings and buzzing about.

"No." Hinata scolded quietly. "Disobeying me would make Shino very unhappy you know." That little one in particular had been wanting Hinata's attention for a long time. Honestly, she was hoping to kill two birds with one stone today as she plopped him into a tiny vial to keep him out of trouble.

The plan was simple. Go over to Sakura's and get her to bond with the Kikaichu. With any luck, Hinata could divert some of the unwanted Kikaichu behavior away from herself. The worst case was that Sakura would still end up being afraid of them, or reject the idea of owning a hive all together.

The best case was that Sakura might start to develop a toleration, or even a bond with the tiny bugs. The same kind that Hinata herself had, learning to control them with a firm but nurturing hand.

Hinata didn't know what outcome she would encounter once she arrived at Sakura's apartment. All that she knew was that she had to hope for the best.

They took tea and shared polite banter for about an hour before Hinata was able to steel herself for the inevitable. "I admit, I did have a reason for stopping by so abruptly, Sakura. Though, I'm a bit afraid you'll read too deeply into my motivations for doing this, and I really hope that you won't."

"Motivations for what, Hinata?" Sakura asked quietly. "Are you in some sort of trouble?"

"Nothing of that sort." She said with a small laugh that disappeared almost as quickly as it appeared. "Shino told me that you held one of his Kikaichu the other day. For him that's an important thing. He doesn't let everyone do that."

Sakura frowned. "He was pretty worried about it. Honestly, it kind of freaked me out."

"Team eight never really was a team that prided itself on being good with other people." Hinata almost felt silly for it now, but all of them had antisocial tendencies in some capacity or another. "Shino is a cautious person, so his words reflect that. Maybe, sometimes too much."

"Hinata!" Sakura squealed when one of the bugs skittered out from under her shirt sleeve. "Your arm..."

"They do tend to do that." Hinata sighed with a small shake of her head. She could only avert her gaze to the tiny creature, contempt lacing the edges of her eyes. "That's one of the ones that comes and goes as it likes. It just happened to be there when I woke up this morning, with about seven others."

"I am never going to get used to this." Sakura sighed, eyeing the little creature that had made its way onto the table between the two women.

"I know it seems difficult, but from my perspective, it truly isn't."

"They're crawling all over you, Hinata…"

"Well, hiding them won't do either one of us any good now." Hinata slumped slightly defeated. She had been hoping to use just a little more tact. "Sakura…I was wondering…would you perhaps like to see the tunnels they make?"

"Shino won't show me." Sakura sighed with a shake of her head.

"He's got some new ones, so there's blood." Hinata told her. "He doesn't want you to see that, but having basic medical training does have a few perks."

"You've been healing yours?"

"Hm." Hinata nodded. "For several years. I have a few on my back though. I haven't healed them because those places are so hard to reach on my own."

"Why didn't you tell me the last time you were on shift?" Sakura asked pointedly, as she forced herself up from her sitting place. She had no idea what she would find, but the idea of Hinata being punctured full of holes set her medical mind into a slowly rising panic. "I could have done that, or Ino, Tsunade, or anyone else up at the hospital."

"Well…" Hinata wondered about that honestly. "I tend to only heal the burrows that they don't use anymore." Hinata exposed her left shoulder down to the bottom of the blade where three puncture holes sat open. There was a gauze pad tapped over another set loosely, and Sakura's fingers drifted over the white material. Hinata answered her unspoken question. "The ones under there are brand new as of this morning."

"What ones do you want me to heal?" Sakura asked.

"None of them." Hinata said quietly. "If you want to look under the gauze, you may. However, those are still bleeding, and will bleed for several weeks."

Tiny little stains met Sakura's green eyed gaze. There were two new holes, and so two small rivers of dried blood. Sakura loosely replaced the gauze and swallowed hard. "Shino's back is covered in gauze right now, isn't it?"

"His upper arms, part of his lower back." Hinata said quietly. "New tunnels scab over from the inside out, but that takes time."

"That's got to be so painful."

"Honestly, it isn't."

"I don't know how you can stand it."

Hinata had wondered that at first too, when she was younger, until one of them borrowed into her arm when she was asleep. That had been years ago. "If you want to know what it feels like, I've got Anita with me. You could let her burrow into you. If you really don't want her there, all Shino would have to do is call her back out again."

"This goes against clan politics, doesn't it?"

Hinata knew that it was, but Shino's father was aware that Shino let his bugs have a bit more freedom. She considered the tiny creatures on her arm. The bond she had with the Kikaichu would never change, even if she did get married to Choji. To her, they were invaluable team members, and having a strong bond with them meant that she would always have a way to call for help if she ever needed it. She would never cast aside the Kikaichu she befriended.

Hinata closed her eyes and sighed. "It isn't exactly an accepted practice, but we also aren't Aburame. His clan will do anything in their power to curry favor to us. That includes our involvement with his Kikaichu. If you do marry him, you'll have to cultivate your own hive. That isn't a widely accepted practice by outsiders."

What would Sakura do? She wasn't entirely sure. To Shino's credit, she liked him, he was a good man. He was a little slower. Maybe less intense than she would have normally sought after in a suitor. Her parents approved of him. They were hard people to please. Most boys she would have brought home would have made her mother turn her nose up at them. Shino was different, he was quiet and respectful, and he was well respected in return.

It probably helped that his parents had spoken with hers, and that Shino had asked her father for his blessing. Those old practices weren't often used in the civilian quadrant. It probably meant the world to them that their opinion seemed to matter. Her mother was a retired genin turned shop-keep, and her father was a discharged chunin since he was no longer able to fight. The only people left in her family who were actually ninja were distant relatives; cousins in the academy, her uncles and aunts.

Sakura took a slow breath. She was a ninja, she wanted to continue being one. She wanted a family to understood that honor. "Alright, let's get this over with."


	7. Chapter 7

**Butterflies or Beetles: Chapter 7**

Hinata explained to Sakura what was going to happen, but that didn't calm Sakura.

In fact, as she sat half naked in her own bedroom, she found herself unusually nervous. Hinata's hands were cupped on her back, keeping a small Kikaichu from wandering around and staying only in that one spot. It was so that the Kikaichu made a burrow where Sakura wanted it to be, and not anywhere else. It still felt weird as it wandered around, making noises.

It chirped and fluttered its wings. It tried to skitters beneath Hinata's fingers to escape, but her chakra held it there.

"Try not to flinch." Hinata said, used to their crawling around by now.

"This is so weird." Sakura said when she grit her teeth. She was waiting to feel a bite, but it didn't come. "What in the hell is it doing?"

"It's just wandering around." Hinata assured.

"Yeah, well I wish it would stop." She could feel it wandering around in a circle over, and over, and over again. It was an odd sensation.

"It'll settle down soon." Hinata assured. "Then she'll probably bite. Once she starts gnawing, it'll only take a second for her to pierce into your skin." Hinata could only vaguely recall the awkwardness of the bugs. It had been years since the feelings of bugs across her skin actually made her physically uncomfortable.

"What then?" Sakura asked sardonically. "Am I going to start gushing blood everywhere?"

"At first, probably a little bit, just like any other puncture." Hinata shrugged. "Then she'll continue to go deeper."

"Shino really should be the one doing this." Sakura mumbled darkly.

"Actually, it's probably better if he didn't." Hinata wasn't quite sure how to say it without being too crass…but… "Sakura, we're friends, right?"

"That's a pretty silly question, Hinata." Sakura said a little uneasily. "Of course we are."

Hinata nodded, even though Sakura couldn't see her. "And friends talk about...particular things sometimes."

"Gossip?" Sakura asked. "Or otherwise?"

"Otherwise, preferably. Keep this to yourself." Hinata took a peek between her fingers. The bug was starting to settle. "When Shino and I…when we were younger…" Hinata struggled to find the words. "When we were sixteen, that time I vaguely told you and Ino about..." She swallowed hard. This was more difficult than she thought it would be. "I left out a few details. Ino doesn't have a right to know, but…maybe you do."

"Did you have sex with him, Hinata?" Sakura asked, it was the only thing that came to mind.

"No!...oh, no-no, nothing like that." The taller woman shook her head vigorously. "It's just..."

Sakura tossed a glance over her own shoulder. "Just what?"

Hinata looked away. "Sharing bugs with a person is an intimate thing. They only do it among family members. Spouses to spouses, parents to children, siblings to siblings. It's an act of family bonding…or…in some cases…courtship…" With her blush burning her cheeks, she cleared her throat. "He wants you to have Anita, and if she's a lone female who burrows in, she'll attach to a chakra point. She'll grow bigger."

"I didn't know…" Sakura admitted, thinking back to the day that she handed Anita back to him. She thought that was what she was supposed to do.

"I know. Shino didn't want to tell you because he didn't want to put too much pressure on you." Hinata saw the small Kikaichu burrow into Sakura's back, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Blood began to flow, and Hinata began to blot it away. "Okay, she's under. If you decide to keep her, she'll become the queen of your hive. She'll live until you die."

"Do you have one?" Sakura asked. "A queen?"

"Yes." Hinata said softly. "Which leads me to my next point. Don't allow any male Kikaichu to burrow into you unless you want to breed a hive."

* * *

It didn't hurt, but she ended up bleeding more than she thought she might. Hinata said the holes would be the least problematic on her back, but, Sakura found herself faced with an issue. She couldn't change the gauze on her own.

Hinata changed the gauze the next day during their shared hospital shift, but it would need to be changed again in the evening.

It was as good a time as any to show Shino what she had done. She wasn't sure if he would be overly pleased with the new burrow that had formed. She waited until the shift at the hospital ended, and then she slowly meandered over to his home. He was already outside basking in the shade, his arms crossed as he leaned against one of the wooden poles that supported his home.

"Oh, good, you're home. I didn't know if you would be out on assignment today." Sakura told him with a small smile.

"No assignments for the next few days." Shino told her. "I'm on military leave while the hive reproduces a new batch of specimens with antibodies. It's a particular type of poison."

"Well, at least you can get some rest. It's good to relax a little every now and then, and I know you don't do that enough." She said as she sat beside him. How would she break the news? She wasn't entirely sure. She clung to their small talk like glue. "What kind of poison is it?"

"Snake venom." Shino replied. "Completely toxic." He pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. "The Hokage asked me to personally cultivate anti-venom that can be transferred into medical grubs."

Sakura crinkled her nose. She hated those little things. "I didn't realize you involved yourself with our infectious disease center."

"I don't. At least, not at this time." Shino said simply, his soft voice causing her to look at him. "That is a job for the head of the clan. I have not been given the details of the medical facility, or the tactics they utilize. I have only been given the orders of the Hokage."

"Well, maybe you should start learning the medical applications." Sakura said quietly. "Your Kikaichu eat chakra, right?" Shino nodded, and Sakura continued. "As a medical ninja, I need to know how far I can go. I use my chakra for everything. From stitching internal wounds, to amputations."

Shino was surprised by that admission. He wasn't sure, not exactly. The medical ninja in his clan were able to keep enough in reserve to do complicated operations, but he wasn't sure how they made that happen. "It may be because they maintain smaller hives by nature." He said offhandedly. "However, that is merely my speculation. I would need to look into it."

"There's probably a lot of things we need to do." She still wasn't sure about owning a hive for herself, but, if she married him, there wouldn't be any other choice. If Hinata wasn't afraid though, why should she be? "I've got to ask though, and don't freak out…but is there always so much blood when they tunnel in?"

Shino paused at this, and for the first time in Sakura's presence, pulled off his glasses to look at her. "Are you bleeding?"

He asked this seriously, and Sakura nodded. "On my shoulder, just above my breast bindings. I let one of them tunnel into me with Hinata's help, but there is a lot of blood."

"They chew through everything." Shino said knowingly. "Even bone."

"Can you change my gauze?"

Shino's dark irises were unlike anything Sakura had ever seen, they were a deep color, but a little transparent in the center. She could see the shadows behind his eyes. The skittering of little bugs. At first his gaze held only concern, but they softened ever so slightly. He put his glasses back on, much to Sakura's dismay.

"We should go to someplace more fitting." He said, guiding her to stand, and ushering her into his bedroom. The first aid kit was sitting on his desk, and he offer her his chair to sit in. She unzipped her vest, and pulled it down far enough that he could get to the dark red square of cloth.

Shino pulled it away without flinching. With his thumbs, he pulled open the pinhole to its full size. He could see one of his Kikaichu still digging away and left it at that. Sakura could feel even more of her vital fluid trickle out. "Uh, Shino, don't you think you should wear gloves?"

"There's no need. It's bleeding the usual amount." Shino concluded quietly as he plucked a fresh square of gauze. He fastened it loosely, so that the bugs could travel underneath it if they wanted. "You'll have to get used to foregoing antiseptic, and getting used to the idea of bacteria entering into your body. Those holes are going to stay open until they've healed on their own. That'll only happen if the Kikaichu let them. The Kikaichu will eat the foreign substances and produce antibodies. Those will enter into you through their saliva."

Sakura was only half listening, her focus was on his fingertips, feeling them caress her back. She held back a shiver, not wanting to spook him. She couldn't stop the tingle that lingered all the same. She pulled her vest back up, but left it partially unzipped as she turned to look at him. "Shino…" She found his name hard to say, found that talking itself was a little more difficult than usual. "Take off your glasses."

The young man hesitated, and Sakura stood, rising up so that she could reach out. Her fingers and thumb grazing his cheek. A spark went through the both of them, and then Sakura heard buzzing. A low hum coming from Shino's body. She could only guess at the noise, but she wanted to see his eyes again, needed to see them.

"Take them off." She whispered.

Slowly he reached up, doing as he was told since the lights in his room were kept dim.

"Why didn't you just tell me?" Sakura asked as her full palm rested softly against his cheek. "You could have…" She could feel a soft vibration beneath her fingers as a few small bugs skittered away beneath his skin. The sensation was so strange to her, and yet, she didn't yank her hand away. Shino was hesitating, and she saw the flicker in his gaze. "Don't you even dare think about putting them back on. I want to see you…the real you."

And…she wanted answers too.


	8. Chapter 8

(It is hotter than medusa's crotch outside atm, and so we are celebrating this hellishly hot day by going down to the beach. Before the drive down though, we decided to write this. Please enjoy.)

 **Butterflies or Beetles: Chapter 8**

"Why?"

Shino bristled at the question, not saying a word.

"Why didn't you just tell me the truth?" Sakura asked again. "Shino, I deserve to know that much…"

"You've lived a full and happy life outside of complicated clan policies." Shino told her quietly. "It's one thing for me to make a list of expectations and rattle them off to Hinata. She would know I'm not trying to be overbearing…" At this he blinked, and let his full gaze meet Sakura's own. "That I'm not trying to control her. I didn't know if you would accept it the same way." That his clan had rules he would have to enforce, and that Sakura would have to abide by them…that she too would become an enforcer of those very same policies. "Please, try to understand…"

"I'm always going to be the cute little village girl, aren't I?" Sakura felt the harshness of her tone, but she couldn't keep it even. "Cute little boy crazy Sakura, who doesn't understand commitment...or what it means to be strong…who can't follow through with anything, and cries over Sasuke." She was so sick of her former image. "That's all I'm ever going to be, isn't it?"

"I never once entertained those notions." Shino told her, but he could see the hurt in her eyes. The pain he caused by trying to protect her from himself.

"You're acting like it." Sakura sighed, turning away and meandering the many shelves she saw, all of them holding clear glass atriums. Several kinds of bugs were inside, but she had no idea what Shino used them for. "Okay, so I don't belong to a clan. Maybe I don't understand all of the details you normally don't talk about. Things that others intuitively know. The thing is, I'm never going to understand unless I'm told."

"I didn't mean to hurt you." Shino said quietly, wondering if now he would be permitted to wear his glasses. He sorely wanted to. "I'll carry the full weight of that blame on my shoulders."

"You should know just how deeply and how seriously I take my friendships." She chased after a great many people, didn't she? Held them fiercely in her heart, doing whatever she had to, in order to keep them safe. Sometimes, she failed completely, but other times… "I just don't know what I am to you."

Shino licked his lips. He most certainly was going to put his glasses back on. "To me?" He wasn't entirely sure. He'd never exactly given it much thought. She fit what he needed in a suitor. He liked her as maybe a little more than a friend. He had to admit, knowing she was letting Anita burrow deep stirred deep feelings in him. Feelings that made his own hive buzz.

Feelings that he had never felt for Hinata.

It wasn't quite lust, but, there was a magnetism. An attraction that was undefinable. Something baser and instinctual.

With his glasses back on, with his eyes hidden away, he felt able to speak once more. "You are to me more than just a comrade." He hadn't moved from his spot, and his frown still lingered. "I…I feel drawn to you. I have never felt such a way in my life before."

* * *

Hinata had been personally summoned after her fifth date with Choji.

He had taken her to dinner, to tea, and shared a casual sparring match that was far more playful than threatening. Hinata though after that third date, where they'd made contact of the physical sort, it might be easier to be around Choji. That she wouldn't feel so awkward, and that he wouldn't feel so completely inadequate. Unfortunately, they hadn't made it beyond the hand holding stage. Their fourth date had been a day in the forest by the cool river, and the fifth was another dinner date after they both were free from work.

All of them were innocent little dates, strangely so, and it was getting to the point that Ino was teasing her about the whole thing. Not that Hinata didn't understand why...she might have been shy, but Choji seemed downright skittish. Hinata sighed as she found another provocative magazine that had been slid under her door.

Another one of Ino's little pranks, she was sure. Hinata didn't even bother to look at it, she merely stuffed it into her dresser drawer to deal with later.

That over and done with, Hinata made her way down the hall to her father's sitting room. She rarely spoke with the man at length, but he seemed adamant to talk. Something about the coming nuptials. She was sure the moment that she saw the sake cup put in front of her. It seemed that Hiashi Hyuga wished to speak on ceremony...

That, Hinata knew, was never a good thing.

"Hinata, I've been lenient." Hiashi said to her carefully as he slid a piece of paper across the wooden table. "I can no longer be so. Hanabi has accepted the council's proposal. She will be wedded to a man of their choosing. They've already decided upon her suitor."

Knowing that insipid council, anything could happen. It made Hinata fell ill. She kept her face stony, for her own sake. "Who is it?" Inwardly she winced at her urgency, and the curtness of the question. Honestly, it could be any number of her cousins, they had so many of them. Most of the older ones were several times removed from the main house. In fact, Neji was the only immediate cousin that they'd had, and he was gone. "Father, please. She's my younger sister, I need to know."

Hiashi sat quietly for a moment. He then decided it was best to inform Hinata now, so that she wouldn't be upset later. "Ko."

"Ko?" Her voice lacked accusation, but it held something else. "Father, with all due respect...Ko...he is a good man, but the age differences is…" Well, to put it mildly, it was shocking. She wasn't feeling mild about the matter though. Not at all. "He looked after me as a child, and though he's always acted with honor and dignity, Hanabi is…well…she is so young...maybe too young."

"She lacks experience." Hiashi agreed. "She also lacks the years on her that she'll need. She can't properly oversee the clan all by herself." That's why he was glad Ko would be there to look after her. He would prove to be a strong man of the main house. "Without Neji here to help her, I need to be sure the man she marries will be able to know the right things to do. Ko can do that, he can provide what many in the branch houses cannot."

Hinata, sighed. This was her fault for being an incapable leader to the Hyuga. Hanabi was young, but their father was growing older, and the questions of the future couldn't be silences for much longer. Yes, her sister was young, but Ko would protect her. He wouldn't do wrong by Hanabi, and Hinata knew that. "When will Hanabi uptake her nuptials?"

"After her sixteenth birthday." Hiashi replied, though that was exactly why he needed Hinata to truly decide her own future. "The futures of my daughters are impending. You must decide your place, and you must do so quickly. I refuse to put the cursed mark upon your head, not until I'm sure that you'll be looked after…"

Hinata only shook her head. She didn't dare say that it was just male foolishness he was spouting. Instead she only signed, feeling so conflicted. "Father, I will be here to look after Hanabi. If you might wish it, I could also swear an oath of chastity instead of marriage, if you would prefer that I protect her in Neji's steed."

"He would not want that for you." The man said slowly. "I do not want that for you. I want you to be married, to raise a family, and to understand that happiness. If I have to, I'll accomplish that in my own way." He told her sternly. "Do not force my hand. You are still a Hyuga for a while longer, Hinata, as your last duty to me, please act like it."

* * *

After hearing that, Hinata needed to take a walk and get some fresh air. Her head was spinning, and she felt unclean. She grabbed her bathing supplies and hit the streets of Konoha hard, with a fast stride and an angry pace.

Many clans in Konohagakure had their own private bathhouses, or in the case of the Hyuga complex, bathing rooms right in the homes of the elite. Hinata didn't frequent them anymore. She wasn't the rightful heir, and so she wasn't a rightful Hyuga. At least, that was the mindset she took when she became a genin. She didn't belong at the main house, and she didn't belong among the bloodline she sullied.

Kiba and Shino both used the central bathhouse in Konohagakure, even though they were both men of their clans. If they did it, so could she. In fact, it seemed as if a lot of the younger heirs didn't bother themselves with going to their proper bathing houses.

That's what sparked the current discussion over on the ladies side of the hygienic center.

"Wow, Hinata, you are pissed." Sakura murmured, more than a little surprised as she watched Hinata splash water over herself in quiet rage.

"Indeed." She all but hissed.

"You want to talk about it?" Sakura asked honestly. "We're all friends here."

"She's right." Ino agreed gently. "You don't have to bottle everything up."

Hinata voided saying why she was so outright angry. She didn't air family disputes, and while she agreed with her father, she also hated when he spoke down to her like a child. with a sigh, she shook her head. "I was merely thinking that this bathhouse seems to be more common a place to be. I know what my reasons are for that, but I was contemplating what yours might be."

"It's not exactly like my bathing house is convenient. We share ours with the Akimichi and Nara clans." Ino said with a shrug as she scrubbed her long hair. "Since I live in the flower shop, this one is actually closer anyway."

"And don't look at me." Sakura added with a laugh. "Since I moved into the share house, this is technically my allotted hygienic center."

"Mine too." Tenten said, as she leaned back in the deep pool of water. She loved soaking after rigorous training. "Well, I mean, I could use the one shared by the Lee clan, but I'd really rather not. Gai-sensei is always making a rucks on the men's side with Lee. I've heard they've broken the walls by accident before."

"Yeah, but you're not from the Lee clan…" Hinata murmured, a bit shocked by that. She wasn't sure that the Lee clan carried strict rules about that kind of thing. All of their members were rambunctious as ever. "I've never heard of outsiders being let onto clan grounds without being allied to them."

"I'm friends with Lee, and Gai-sensei. I'm always let onto clan grounds." Tenten said, though she didn't understand it either. "In fact, now that I think about it, so was Neji."

Hell she didn't even know what clan she belonged to. She grew up on government funding, being looked after by the late Hokage, just like Naruto. No one had claimed her, or told her where she hailed from. In fact, she was almost sure with her weapons prowess that she wasn't actually from Konoha. There was a good chance she was a war baby left orphaned when the nine-tails attacked. She might have even hailed from one of the other villages, Tenten would never really know for sure.

"That's certainly a breech in the Hyuga policies." Hinata murmured quietly. "Unless my father approved of Neji doing so, Hyuga aren't to go parading around into another's domain."

Tenten shrugged, she had no idea why Neji was allowed. Only that he was. "According to Gai-sensei, the Hyuga clan and I were unconditionally welcomed as allies when became a team." She didn't try to understand it. "That clan is really casual, and are mostly civilian. I don't think they keep the same policies that ninja clans might. Even if they did though, not all clans are as strict as yours."

Hinata sighed sadly at that. It made sense, she supposed. Shino and Kiba both all but dragged her into their clan's domains without even thinking twice about it. In fact, their parents didn't seem to care much. When she was young, she found that really odd. Her father would have had kittens if she'd brought her teammates home to run amok. Thinking about clan matters reminded her of her current situation.

She felt nervous, but she decided to just ask it plainly. "Sakura, I need to know what your plans are with Shino. If you don't plan to marry him, then I honestly should."

"Way to put me on the spot." Sakura complained from over her shoulder. "What's with you, I expect that kind of thing from Ino, not you."

"Well, damn you too, Sakura." Ino said as she noticed that her friend was still scrubbing her skin. "What the hell are you even doing over there?"

"Oh…nothing…nothing…" Sakura said, scrubbing even more furiously.

Hinata sighed, knowing instantly what was driving the pink haired woman crazy. Hinata activated her Byakugan. There were six little bugs wandering around, but there was also a seventh attached to a chakra point near Sakura's belly. It looked like Sakura had formed an empty hive. "My father is going to force me into making a firm statement soon. If I don't, he will for me."

"Harsh." Tenten hissed.

"But reasonable." Ino said, picking up Hinata's uneasy vibe. "That's just how these things work."

Hinata nodded. "I know he'll favor Shino over Choji."

"How do you know that?" Sakura asked.

"That was the original agreement." Hinata explained to the group simply. "Shino and I both defied it tooth and nail, but our fathers will honor their old promises. That's the kind of people they are."

Sakura paused, the shampoo in her hair trickling into her eyes. It burned, but she was still stunned to silence. She grabbed the water bucket and she dumped it over herself, and then filled it back up do repeat the action. "I…" She gave Hinata a knowing look. "It's complicated."

"I want Shino to be happy." Hinata admitted. "I want to know you'll keep an eye on him. That you won't just let him close up on himself…he's good at that."

"You both are." Ino interjected. "Since we're asking the hard questions, how do you really feel about Choji?"

Hinata swallowed hard. It took a few moments to gather her thoughts, because she really didn't want them scattered all over the place. She bit her tongue twice to keep from talking before she was ready. She couldn't say the wrong thing. Not in front of Ino. She looked to both Sakura and Tenten, and she felt the words knot in her throat.

They wouldn't understand the pressure of being in a clan, of having the forced weight of reality crashing down all because of progeny. Frankly, all because of marriage, and the sex that would produce that progeny. If just having other people dependent on what she did and said...it was all so much...almost too much.

"You tell me." Hinata said quietly. "How did you feel about Sai when your clan tossed him at you?" She looked away. "How do you feel about him now?"

Ino realized then what Hinata was trying to say. What she didn't exactly have the words for. "If that's the case, you won't have any problems from me."

"We may be kunoichi, but we uphold the same honor as everyone else." It was that simple in the end, wasn't it? By saying that, that Hinata made her choice. "Sakura, I'm leaving Shino in your hands." He would be happier with Sakura. He could learn to love Sakura…just as Hinata could learn to love Choji. "I'm asking you this as one future matriarch to another…don't hurt him."

Sakura could have sworn she almost… _almost_ …heard a laced threat in Hinata's tone.


	9. Chapter 9

(We did this on the drive back from the beach. That means we're tossing up two updates within the same day. We also wrote chapter 10, but that we don't have time to post tonight.)

 **Butterflies or Beetles: Chapter 9**

By the firelight, she penned a letter that was a response to Choji's original one. She would send it and a photo back to him. That was the custom among clan matters, and beyond that, their fathers and clan councils would see to the rest. Once she sent the missive, the entire situation would be out of her hands, and she would relinquish control to the current heads of their clans.

This would be no small matter, and neither would the courting process, which would be a complicated and aggravating ordeal. Still, she had made her choice, and she was not to be dissuaded.

 _To Choji Akimichi,_

 _I, Hinata Hyuga have decided to honor your request that was sent to me in full. I will indeed give you my hand in marriage, and in doing so, I will bind myself entirely and completely to the Akimichi clan. If this so pleases you, then please seek me out at your earliest convenience so that we may converse on the topics at hand. I'm sure you will be as eager as I will be to see our respective councils undertake deliberations._

 _Your betrothed,  
Hinata Hyuga._

Sealing the scroll up, she turned to the Hyuga woman that was sitting on the floor in a white hood. It was an older cousin, one that was more closely related to Neji than she ever was to Hinata. This woman was born a branch house member, like her parents before her. Even her infant child would also be branded once the Byakugan showed in her child's eyes.

Hinata could see her fate resting within the markings upon the woman's head. Soon, Hinata would carry those same markings, and for some reason, the woman looked at her with pity. "Is everything quite alright?"

"Yes. However, this is a family mission of the highest priority." Hinata said as she gave the scroll over to the woman. "Take this to Choji Akimichi as soon as day breaks. Tell no one of your mission."

The woman nodded reverently, and then slipped out the door silently. She was one of the finest jonin that the Hyuga clan had…and she was also so low in family ranking that she might as well have been a genin. That's why Hiashi permitted her into the main house, but only if she were to act as a lowly maid. Domestic duties suited the woman, and she had seen after both Hinata when she was a girl, and Hanabi when she was a mere infant.

The council treated her as trash, in fact, they treated her worse than trash. Hinata lifted herself from her seat, she needed to speak to her sister about the matter…she would not wait.

Letting herself into her younger sister's room without an invitation, she sat at the low lying table where Hanabi was busy reason something of little worth. "I've heard about the council's decision."

"Father said that you did." Hanabi closed the comic book that she kept hidden from the rest of her family. "I don't mind who it is, I've always known it would be a member of our clan. Ko, he is a good choice."

"I…I came to tell you…" Hinata licked her lips. "I've made my choice too. I thought I should come to tell you. I've chosen Choji Akimichi."

"I'm not the one you have to tell." Hanabi told her older sister.

"I'm sure you will be married first, and during such time, I will have to give my vows to you." Hinata knew that above all else, she would still be shackled to her sister, even if she did marry Choji. Her loyalty to Hanabi would always, _always_ , come first. If ever the leader of the Hyuga were to face danger, Hinata would have to serve the Hyuga until her sister's safety could be obtained once more. "I felt I should tell you first, because I'd like your approval."

"You don't need it, Hinata." Hanabi said with a laugh. "But you have it...always. Father will also be happy." Hanabi said pleasantly, a grin tugging at her lips. She so adored her elder sibling, very much so. "He was worried you were going to make him choose for you. He didn't say as much to me, but I could see it in his eyes."

"Yes, I know." Hinata carefully pushed her hair behind her ear. "Also, I've come to ask something."

Hanabi was intently listening now. "Anything..."

"Grant me Natsu Hyuga, and her infant child." Hinata said slowly. "Promise custody of their wellbeing over to me."

Hanabi closed her eyes. She loved Natsu as the mother she never had. She couldn't remember her own, and Natsu had always been there for her. As the leader of the Hyuga, she would be able to do that, if she wanted. It was customary to offer the bride something to take with her, and servants were not an uncommon thing to give. "You are asking me to give you our top maid?"

"Only the top maid?" Hinata asked with a small laugh as her younger sister rolled her eyes.

"It's not funny." The young teen huffed, crossing her arms. among them, when they were alone, they never bothered with decorum. Her petulant look broke down into a fit of soft giggles, which Hinata shared in.

Then, after a short time, the laughter died, and Hinata's smile went along with it. "I'm a terrible older sister to you. I've put you in a bad position, and I'm sorry for that. I know that I'm asking a lot in this situation too, but, Neji would want this most of all." Hinata said quietly. "Natsu was good to us, Hanabi…good to all of us, and I just want to protect her."

"You want to keep her child out of the strict tutelage of the Hyuga." Hanabi could already feel her heart break at the thought.

"He's a boy, he'll be sent off to the academy." Hinata murmured.

"I know." Hanabi murmured, her breath like a hiss. "Seeing how you turned out though, I can't really say that I see it as a bad thing." Unlike the Hyuga women who were often trained by the household, young boys were sent to the academy, and, like Neji, assigned to genin teams fresh out of graduation. "If I give them over to you, he will probably still join the academy."

"I can keep him away from ridicule. Also, I will personally train the child if the inevitable happens." Hinata knew, the child would one day carry the Byakugan. She would watch over him. His mother was by no means a weakling either. Hinata wanted to protect the one woman whom they all saw as family, whom they all loved. Most of all, Hinata wanted to protect Natsu's son from his low ranking birth. "He may return to the branch family when he comes of age, but if he doesn't…if he doesn't…I want you to honor that too…"

"I'll do it." Hanabi murmured quietly. "But I'm not just doing this for you…I want you to know that."

"You wouldn't agree if you thought I was being selfish." Hinata said, her soft smile returning once more.

"Hinata…if anything happen to either of them, so help me…it goes without saying what I'll do."

"I know." It was the same punishment everyone received, and Hinata had witnessed it several times before. "I'd expect nothing less from the leader of the Hyuga."

* * *

The next morning, the sun rose, but Choji Akimichi wasn't at the breakfast table. He was stunned, reading the scroll that had been offered to him not moments before. The Hyuga who delivered the scroll was long gone from his sight, but he couldn't believe it. "There's just no way…" He said while shaking his head. "I can't even…"

"What's wrong son?" His father asked, coming around from the sitting area.

"Hinata Hyuga…" Choji blinked several more times. He was sure this had to be some sort of mistake, or some kind of sick joke. "She's accepted…"

Choza nodded his understanding, and reached out for the parchment. He read the words for himself, Hinata had pressed her official seal. This was no forgery, Hinata really had sent this letter in reply. "Choji, my boy, this is a good thing."

He was right. It was a great thing, but, Choji had to admit, he had been bracing himself to be let down. Their talks had always been cordial, but never particularly intimate, and he was too nervous to actually kiss her. He felt strangely uneasy, his palms sweaty, and he could do no more that look to the one man who always gave him the advice he needed to hear. "This…it's really happening, isn't it? I'm not dreaming."

Choza sighed as his son turned as white as a sheet. The young man's mind was probably on overdrive. "Okay, let's get some food in you, before you pass out on the floor."

"I should go see Hinata."

"Later." Choza slung an arm around Choji's shoulders. "Have something to eat first."

"Dad, I'm not very hungry." In fact all he wanted to do was convince himself that he wasn't dreaming.


	10. Chapter 10

**Butterflies or Beetles: Chapter 10**

In the offices that belonged to the Hokage, Shino stood with his hands in his pockets. "I've completed a test sample." He reported, offering some of his Kikaichu in a little clear box. "I'm sure that some tweaks will need to be made, as that is that natural way of things. I was hoping you would define what parameters need to be improved upon."

Very gently, he placed it on Tsunade's desk. The bugs were merely in their larvae form, and had not grown to maturity. He preferred it this way, since he had a particularly hard time parting with the bugs that he personally protected in his hive. The blonde woman regarded the box and turned to Shizune.

"Look into Shino's request, and get whatever information he needs." Just as Shizune exited, Tsunade sighed, taking her fingers and resting her chin upon them. "This is going to help the village in more ways than one. I understand the process can be rather taxing on the ninja in question though. Are you sure you can continue to refine the anti-venom?"

"So long as I have chakra to feed them, they will always be able to breed." Shino said with a curt nod, he stuffed his hands back into his jacket. "It may take time before the next batch meets any required changes though. It's one thing to breed Kikaichu that have a resistance to poison. It's another thing entirely to breed perfectly immune Kikaichu."

"How long do you think it will take." She asked him.

He shrugged a bit. "I have no idea how you can even transfer that over into human medicine."

"You just let me worry about that." Tsunade said to him, handing him payment for his services. "It'll take a few days for the test results to clear, so you're free to do as you wish until your next assignment."

"I will take that time to replenish my chakra reserves." He was looking forward to having his body to himself again. Breeding his Kikaichu in mass quantities was actually tiresome. He had to continually feed them chakra, and the young bugs ran wild and untamed. He had several swarms at home that he had no idea what to do with. Turning on his heel, he exited the office and began walking down the hall. There he saw an open door, where he found Sakura and Shizune leaning over a metal table that had some sort of large seal on it.

He didn't know what it was for exactly, but he could hazard a guess. Frowning, he stopped for a moment, bracing himself for the worst. He didn't want to be anywhere near that room when they began their experiments. Overhearing them talking peeked his attention.

"You haven't told Tsunade yet, have you?"

"No, but I don't really know what I'm going to say to her either. I'm glad you've been covering for me in the O.R. because without help I'd probably have to quit my job for a while."

Shino pressed his back against the wall, listening. He knew it was wrong, but Sakura's off-handed words concerned him. He wondered if she was truly having that much trouble managing her chakra. They didn't seem to notice him, or if they did, they simply didn't care. He wasn't entirely sure which.

"You should be thanking Hinata." Shizune laughed simply. "She's been taking most of your work load."

"Yeah, I know." Sakura agreed. "Ino too, she been doing all of the closing for me."

"Ino, closing after operations? I didn't realize she had the stomach for that."

"No one thought Hinata had it in her either, but she's been the one doing them while I supervise."

"Someone really should tell Tsunade about your chakra problem. You can tell her almost anything, Sakura. You know that."

"I'll tell her once I know what to say."

Shino heard rustling of what he assumed to be fabric before Sakura popped out from beyond the door. "Would you just get in here already? You're really starting to freak me out hiding out here like that."

"Sorry, Sakura. I didn't want to cause you any disturbances." Shino said as he walked in, and noticed that Sakura shut the door behind him, locking the latch tightly. He didn't know what to make of that. "What exactly are we doing in here with the door locked?"

"You'll see." Sakura murmured as they continued prepping the room.

For what, he couldn't be sure.

"Alright, that just about does it." Shizune said as she pulled some lab equipment closer to the table. "Are you sure you want him in here, Sakura? This is a considered a medical procedure, even if we are just being curious."

"I don't see why not." Sakura shrugged, shucking off her red vest. She had a black spaghetti-strap black shirt on underneath. Hopping up onto the table, she lay down and got comfortable. "Hey, Shino, come over here, you're about to see something pretty neat."

"I'm afraid to ask." He said quietly, doing as he was told. The term medical procedure had him on edge.

"No reason to be." Sakura explained. "You're going to see something that normally only medical ninja get to see."

"You know the drill, Sakura." Shizune warned her. "Any of the usual side effects, let me know."

Seeing Shino begin to panic inwardly, Sakura talked him through it. "The seal works a lot like the Byakugan. With it, you can see some of the systems in the body. We use it for non-invasive surgeries, but sometimes it can be fun just to play with." Careful not to move too much, she gave him a soft smile. "It doesn't hurt."

"I've got to admit, I'm kind of excited about this." Shizune said as she began to pour her chakra into the array. "I've never seen a hive being formed before."

Shino began to understand what they were doing when that green chakra pooled around Sakura, collecting and flowing along her skin, following what Shino was sure had to be the chakra circulatory system. There was one chakra point that was larger than the rest. It glowed the darkest green, almost black, as if it were blocked off.

"Here, I think…" Shizune said quietly. "You've only got one blockage, but it's deep within your belly, a core chakra point."

"Well, that would be why I'm having control problems." Sakura said knowingly. On a medical level, it was obvious. "I'll just have to learn to work around it."

"Do you really think you can?" Shizune asked.

"Only way to find out is if I try." Sakura lay still as Shizune manipulated the green chakra flow even more. While she let Shizune explore around a bit, she turned her attention to her boyfriend, and would be finance. "Shino, how many points do you think will get blocked off over time?" The glow began to fade as she asked this.

"I would have to inquire." His hand lifted of its own merit, resting over the right side of his chest, where he clutched the fabric of the loose shirt trying to pinpoint just how many chakra points of his were closed up. "Well, you heard her…" He said nearly under his breath. "How many points have you claimed for your own merits?" He asked the swarming Kikaichu.

After a moment one of the little bugs crawled out from his collar. It skittered along the side of his face to perch upon Shino's nose. It wiggled a little, butt wagging from side to side. Making chirping sounds that only Shino seemed to understand, it seemed to have a complicated language all its own.

"Yes, I see." He nodded to the small creature. "That will be all." Instead of going back to the hive like he thought it would, the small little bug fluttered off of his nose and Shino caught him in his hands. Sakura, who was probably still covered in chakra. Cracking his hands open, he glared daggers at the small insect. "No."

Shizune looked at the man as if he had gone crazy, and Sakura tried not to laugh at her expression. The pink haired woman concealed a cough to steady herself. No wonder so many villagers thought that the bug users were insane…if they stood around muttering to the bugs all the time like that, it would look like they were muttering to thin air.

Shizune composed herself, but it took some effort. "So, did you find out? As her doctor, but also the chief medical examiner, I should probably know." Shizune told him. "This is going to throw her chakra reserves way off balance."

"I have no idea." Shino truly didn't know.

"Well, how many do you have?" Sakura asked.

He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Thirty-two, but I'm also a warrior hive. I maintain three queens in my body, so that I may utilize three types of insects. My Kikaichu are merely my preferred bug of choice, and of my household. I have no idea how many a singular hive may utilize, and I know it varies depending on the size."

"I'll talk to Tsunade on a day when she isn't so stressed out with work. I promise." Sakura said then, as she picked up her vest. "Shino, did you want to grab some lunch on the main boulevard?"

"As much as I would love to, I have other obligations." Shino wondered how his father was doing, trying to manage roughly five hundred young and wild Kikaichu. "You may accompany me if you wish. Although I have no idea whether or not you'll find the situation hilarious or terrifying."

Interested, but confused, Sakura bid Shizune to have a nice day.

They exited the large village structure. While they traveled to the plot of land provided to the Aburame clan, they spoke of simple things. The weather, and their plans for the rest of the week, and when a good date night might be...and that's when Sakura noticed a large black cloud of insects belonging directly towards them...

Or more aptly, right for Shino.


End file.
